DPP will not be rushed

THE DEPARTMENT of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) is awaiting certain crucial documents before deciding what action it would take into the alleged false declarations by Junior Culture Minister Winston "Gypsy" Peters and Junior Energy Minister William Chaitan on their nomination papers for the general election.

In a statement issued yesterday, DPP Mark Mohammed said that neither he nor the police could allow themselves to be rushed into making a decision based on public perception of what might be considered obvious.

"The police and the DPP’s office are simply abiding faithfully to their mandate to ensure that no citizen is prosecuted unless the matter has been comprehensively investigated and a reasonable prospect of conviction demonstrated by the available evidence.

"Every citizen of Trinidad and Tobago should expect no less from the office of the DPP. These investigations cannot be regarded as concluded unless and until the requested documentary evidence is secured and properly reviewed," he said.

He emphasised that the matter was still under investigation and warned that extensive references to Gypsy and Chaitan could be regarded as being prejudicial to the outcome of the matter.

In fact, he said part of the requested information was forwarded by the US Embassy to the police last Friday and should have arrived at his Office yesterday afternoon. He said information requested from the Canadian authorities had not yet been received.

He said the Canadian authorities referred to privacy laws, however there were exceptions like the present case. He said further action was being pursued in this regard.

Mohammed also said he instructed the police to obtain a copy of a document produced by Chaitan in his constitutional motion now before Justice Ivor Archie in the Port of Spain High Court.

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